


My Eyes Went Dark

by Iconic_Name_I_Hope



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Maul is also trash, Mentions of Blood, Monsters hurt someone, More like there was only one bed but only one character sleeps, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED, Torture, Violence, mentions of eating trash, oh my god they were roommates, revenge road trip, slow burn (sorry), the imperials are assholes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27396283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iconic_Name_I_Hope/pseuds/Iconic_Name_I_Hope
Summary: Ahsoka Tano was once a part of the Jedi Order, with backup and support always at the ready. Now, she has no one, and when the Empire captures her and she is unable to help herself, she has never felt more alone.
Relationships: Darth Maul/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 61
Kudos: 140





	1. Chapter 1

If Ahsoka Tano had been in this position ten years ago, there would be no limit of help available to her. Clone troopers, Jedi, Republic forces of all kind? They’d be rushing to her location, desperate to get her out alive. As the Imperial officer increased the voltage on the machine she was strapped to, Ahsoka screamed. It had been hours upon hours since she’d been free of pain. He wasn’t even asking questions, just gleefully torturing her.

The electricity surged through her bones, effectively causing her pain to worsen. She knew there was no help coming. Ahsoka Tano worked alone. Ahsoka Tano didn’t want to risk lives, unless it was her own life on the line. She knew all too well the price of death. Unfortunately for her, it was not ten years ago. She had no help. There were no Jedi. There were no loyal clone troopers. There was only the Empire and those who weren’t. Still, as the pain grew worse and her voice gave out, Ahsoka screamed in the Force. The first few hours she’d meditated through the pain, but now she was unable to distract herself.

“I always wanted to see a Jedi brought to the mercy of a normal, mortal man,” the officer said, grinning. Help me! Ahsoka‘s mind shouted. She was sure there was no one there to listen. She was sure she would die from this pain. And what a shame that would be! _I’ve lived through so much_. She could not choke out a reply. Her eyes closed and her vision went black.

(:)(:)(:)

Time had passed, she knew that. Her mouth was dry and apart from her, the room was empty. Her bonds ached and chafed against her skin, a pain she hadn’t noticed before. Her bones felt sore. _I probably don’t have much time before one of them comes back,_ Ahsoka thought brokenly.

She felt oddly calm, despite her surroundings. Confused, she reached out with the Force, closing her eyes in concentration. Just as quickly, they opened again. There was. . . something here. Someone? It felt darker than any living thing she’d encountered, and yet it was so familiar. Ahsoka had felt it before.

A feeling of dread washed over her, and she wished she were at least free of the restraints. Sharp stabs of pain echoed in the Force around her, little sparks of life cut off forever. The thing had struck. Ahsoka‘s mouth felt drier. The dark thing drew nearer and nearer, and nervously she fixed her eyes on the door. Another screech, another voice silenced forever. Her eyes narrowed. And the door opened.

_I can’t believe someone came,_ she thought hopefully. It was as if a great weight lifted from her lungs. Then she saw who it was.

_Oh_. Ahsoka knew him, and she was quite surprised to see him. The weight was back, along with a sure sense of doubt.

“Lady Tano. What a pleasant surprise,” Maul said, his eyes wide. “I knew the voice felt. . . familiar, but I wouldn’t have dreamed of finding _you_ here.”

“Surprise,” Ahsoka said weakly. She watched the former Sith nervously, wondering what he would do. It was unlikely he would release her, no doubt he remembered her turning him down many times before everything went wrong. He’d known. He’d been right, and she hadn’t listened.

Maul stood in front of her, but made no move to set her free. That didn’t surprise her in the least. They stared at each other for a long time. “You sounded so hopeless,” Maul finally said. He didn’t sound pitying, but there was some emotion there that Ahsoka couldn’t place.

“I am,” she replied. “There’s no one left.”

“Ah, but that isn’t true,” the Zabrak said, a smirk plastering his face. “There is someone else, someone elusive.”

“What? Who?”

Maul said nothing else, but he moved forward, activating his double sabre and slicing through her restraints. Ahsoka couldn’t keep herself from falling; her muscles were so weak. Maul placed his sword at his side and caught her.

“Why?” Ahsoka asked, attempting to stand but failing and leaning on Maul for support.

“I need your help,” the former Sith said. “It shall benefit us both.” He lifted Ahsoka in his arms and took her sabres from a nearby table. Then, he began to walk out of the room.

“Wait, where are you taking me?”

“To my ship.”

“Won’t there be soldiers in the way?”

“Oh, not _anymore_ ,” Maul said, and his voice dripped with venom. “I took good care of them already. We’ll be quite safe.”

Ahsoka didn’t want to stop paying attention to what was going on, but she had just been tortured. She couldn’t hold on to her thoughts, and for the second time that day, her vision went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Ahsoka woke to the sound of a hyperdrive activating. Her eyes popped open and she took in her surroundings. She lay in a small ship’s cabin on a decent sized cot. A rough wool blanket covered her body, and on a small table lay her lightsabers.

The hyperdrive was active, so that must mean that Maul was taking her off planet.

Wait. _Maul_ was taking her off planet.

How had _this_ happened? She thought long and hard, and finally the events of the past day (days? She really wasn’t sure) washed over her.

So Maul had saved her. Interesting. Hadn’t he said he needed her help? Ahsoka was sure that whatever the former Sith needed, it could not be good. She couldn’t guess where he’d take her, but he had mentioned another Jedi. She was loathe to trust him, however, she had no better choice.

With nothing else to do and her body too painful to move, Ahsoka kept to the bed. She meditated. She thought and theorised. She attempted to keep time, but eventually boredom came to her and her efforts were lost.

“Hello?” Ahsoka called, wriggling further under the blanket. Her body screamed in protest, but her toes were cold. Only then did she realise that Maul must have taken her boots off. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

_At least he’s got a good bedside manner,_ Ahsoka thought. She lay in bed, but there was no answering yell or telltale footsteps to indicate that the Zabrak had heard her.

_I suppose this means I’ll need to contact him the hard way,_ she thought. Bunching up the scratchy wool in her fists, Ahsoka closed her eyes and let her conscience spread through the ship. She searched for the cockpit, and upon discovering the dark presence inside, Ahsoka gave it a hard mental shove. 

It recoiled in surprise. _“What do you want?”_ The words reverberated so clearly in the former Jedi’s mind that it was almost as if she’d thought them herself. 

_“Come here,”_ Ahsoka thought back at it. _“Need to talk.”_

The sigh that Maul gave was out of her earshot, but she sensed the exasperation nonetheless as the man left his seat and walked towards wherever Ahsoka was. 

It only took a moment before Maul was standing before her. ”Yes, My Lady?” he said with mock reverence. 

“Where are we going?” 

“Far away from that wretched planet I found you on, and towards our bright future together.” His eyes shone with excitement and something else Ahsoka couldn’t place. It looked quite malicious. 

“Let me get something straight. I didn’t ask you to rescue me. We don’t have a bright future together. I haven’t even decided if I’m going to help you or not!” Ahsoka remembered the frustration she’d felt all the prior times she’d dealt with this man. 

“Oh, but you did ask for help. I remember that clearly. You were begging for it; you were so hopeless. . .” Maul trailed off, staring no longer at Ahsoka but at the wall behind her. His eyes suddenly snapped back to hers. “But you will want to help me. That is, if you are still the same Jedi I fought on Mandalore.”

He was stubborn, and she could barely move. Perhaps she shouldn’t have disagreed so readily. “Fine, tell me what it is you want.” 

Maul looked intensely gleeful. “Kenobi is _alive_.” 

Shock coursed through her veins. Obi-Wan was dead. She’d felt him die; she’d felt all of them die. “You’re lying.” 

“I would never lie to you, Lady Tano. If you had only believed me before. . . But it is too late for that now, I suppose.” 

Ahsoka attempted to sit up and failed miserable. Maul helped her to prop herself against the headboard, but she shoved his hands away the moment she was situated. 

“I haven’t sensed him,” she said indignantly. 

“You believed him to be dead, as did many.” 

“Well, after what happened, how could you expect me to?” 

Maul seemed at a loss for words. “This is not what I needed to talk to you about.” 

“Then what was it?” Ahsoka felt dread rising in her. 

Maul’s eyes gleamed. “Will you help me find Kenobi?”


	3. Chapter 3

She had asked for time to think on it. How typical of a Jedi, meditating and analysing every single action before they’d even lifted a finger. Maul despised their readiness, and yet they certainly always seemed to profit from it. Maul could not honestly say that he had once surprised a Jedi. 

But for once, he seemed to have gained a fighting chance. He gleefully imagined the look upon Kenobi’s face when he appeared before him, whole and alive once again. With everything else gone, Maul had no purpose, no driving force to continue on. But he’d calmed himself and listened to the universe, and it had whispered the dark promise of his most prominent adversary. 

He could no longer stop his Master, for he had grown too strong. He could no longer grow his criminal empire, for if it grew any larger it would surely collapse. But he could finally join with Tano. Maul was certain a few words could put her straight. He was very good with his words. 

Something nearby him blinked to life once more, and the former Sith readily welcomed the presence of his new ally. 

“Look who’s awake,” he said, hearing her soft, stumbling footsteps behind him. Tano crumpled into the co-pilot’s chair beside him and fixed him with a baleful look. 

“The gloom is quite unnecessary; I see no reason to be upset at a time like this!” Maul set the ship to drift. They had enough fuel to get nearly anywhere they needed to go, and he was confident that one of Kenobi’s former accomplices would be able to track him efficiently. 

Tano sighed, closing her eyes and tilting her head back. Maul watcher her carefully, wary of what she might say. It was not easy for him to gain allies. He was perhaps not the most trustworthy character; he supposed his markings and demeanour did nothing to help him. 

“I see no reason to be lively. You’re right, Obi-Wan is alive.” Tano seemed to slump even more, perhaps that was defeat radiating from her? Maul wondered if her injuries were bothering her. Perhaps he should have attended to her, but he did value his head and Tano was more than capable of removing it, even in her condition. 

“Are you not glad of Kenobi’s survival? Was he not quite important to you?” 

“No, he was. I’m only afraid of what you would ask of me. Obi-Wan May be the only Jedi left, and you certainly don’t have a good reputation when it comes to keeping Jedi alive.” 

Maul thought for a moment. “You have a point,” he admitted. “However, I have a better one. Care to hear it?” 

Ahsoka Tano fixed him with a very dirty glare that suggested she very much did not want to hear his point. Maul couldn’t help grinning. “Go ahead,” she grumbled. 

“Were you not cast out by the Jedi?” 

“I was, at the start. But I left on my own; no one made me do it.” 

“Is that so? I seem to recall a trial, yes? They questioned every loyal thing you had ever done. How did that make you feel? Your masters did nothing to stop the accusations. You were alone. How did that make you feel?” 

Tano laughed. “Listen, you aren’t going to be able to trick me with your words. Obi-Wan told me how you like to talk, and there isn’t a thing you could say about me that would cause me to doubt myself.” 

Maul hissed. “I don’t believe that.” 

“Well, it’s the truth.” Tano leaned forward and edited their destination. “Floating around in dead space won’t get us anywhere. Literally.” 

Maul raised an eye ridge. “Where would you have us go?”

“As of now, somewhere we can get food. I looked through your pitiful supply. I have a large appetite, so that won’t do at all.” Tano fiddled with the controls. Maul watched her closely but after too many moments of failing to interfere, Tano forced him out of his seat. 

“You clearly aren’t a pilot,” she stated. 

“Will you help me?” Maul asked again. 

“We aren’t talking about this. Obi-Wan is my friend. I don’t want to help you kill him.” 

“What if—“ Maul paused, thinking. His eyes roved over the controls in front of him. “What if I said I wasn’t going to kill him? Would you believe me?” 

Tano snorted. “Of course not!” 

“How can I make you help me?” 

“You aren’t going to make me do anything, alright? This will go much smoother for us both if you get that through your head.” 

Maul stood with a hiss. “I’ll remind you,” he said, placing a hand on his sabre, “that you are in no condition to oppose me. You were trapped and injured and I saved you. Doesn’t that warrant some sort of debt on your part?” 

Tano sent them jarringly into hyperspace. Maul lurched backwards, unprepared, and landed in a heap on the cockpit’s floor. “I’ll decide if I owe you anything, okay? Until then, sit back and relax. We’ve got a four hour trip ahead of us. Maybe you can come up with a more compelling reason for me to help you.” 

Snarling, Maul sat in the co-pilot’s seat. Evidently, teaming up with Tano was just as difficult as ever. 


	4. Chapter 4

Ahsoka yawned and triple-checked their coordinates. They were on course for Bandomeer, a planet near Telos, where Maul had picked her up. It ran along the Hydian Way, and Ahsoka was hoping to gather information when the docked at the spaceport there. 

Her muscles ached. The wounds she’d received at the hands of the Imperials were quite painful, but they were slowly healing. Ahsoka leaned back in the less-than-comfortable pilot’s chair and closed her eyes, mulling over the past years. 

Despite sensing Obi-Wan’s Force signature, hidden away in the darkest part of her mind, Ahsoka still couldn’t believe he was alive. She had felt him die. She had felt Anakin die. It was too much to bear, knowing that her Grandmaster had survived and that she may never see him again. 

Ahsoka puzzled over why the Imperial Officer had been so brutal. She’d been doing recon at a prospective Rebel cell near to the Imperial base, but she’d thought she’d been conspicuous enough. She still carried her lightsabers, yes, but they were never visible. She had not engaged in open combat with them. 

And yet that man had known she was a Force-user. He’d called her a Jedi, hadn’t he? Ahsoka desperately hoped he hadn’t reported it. She didn’t need the Empire knowing that there was a Force-user out there, fighting against them. 

“For the last time, where are you taking us?” Maul made his way back into the cockpit and leaned beside her chair, eyeing the control board. Ahsoka ignored his question. 

“Did you kill the Imperials at that base with your lightsaber?” She met his eyes pleadingly. 

“Yes,” Maul answered, his hand drifting to the weapon at his hip. “Why?” 

“Because I think the Empire figured out that I exist, and that’s not good. I faked my death.” 

“Quite noble of you,” the tattooed Zabrak snorted, relaxing. “A mighty defender of the peace refusing to do her duty and hiding instead.” 

Ahsoka spun the chair to the side and glared at him. “That is not what I’m doing and you know it! I’m working from the sidelines. The galaxy doesn’t need Jedi anymore.” 

Maul looked deeply into her eyes. “You’re wrong there. The galaxy has always needed Jedi, as much as it has always needed Sith, for without one, the other would grow too strong to be contained, and greed knows no bounds. Was Darth Tyrannus not proof of this?” 

Ahsoka huffed. “You might’ve made a decent Jedi, in another life. Your principle and logic would have suited you.” 

Maul smirked. “And in another life, you might’ve made a decent Sith. Your determination and emotions leave absolutely nothing to be desired.” 

Ahsoka felt uncomfortable. “Bandomeer,” she said. “I need news, the kind you can’t find on the HoloNet. You may leave me there, and I will find my own way offworld.” 

The former Sith sat in the co-pilot’s chair, staring out at the blue of hyperspace. His eyes looked quite blank, but Ahsoka knew he was fully alert. 

“I will not leave you until you take me to Kenobi,” Maul said finally. He glanced at her. “I will not kill him.” 

“I don’t believe you. During the war, all you wanted was to kill him. I can’t betray him like that.” Ahsoka turned away from Maul, feeling flustered and impatient. She would not take him to Obi-Wan, never. Her Grandmaster would live. Her Grandmaster deserved a normal life of peace, and she would not allow Maul to steal it away from him. 

“I see there is no convincing you now, but believe me, I will have my way eventually. I always do, and I’ll do anything.” 

“You’re pretty determined yourself. That’s a good Sith trait, you said so just moments ago. So how do I know you aren’t lying?” Ahsoka narrowed her eyes and stared through the window at the blue and white swirl of stars. 

“Because I have never lied to you, Lady Tano.” He gave her a long, serious look. “And I never intend to.” 

Ahsoka shook her head, but she pondered on that. It was true, Maul did not lie, or he had never lied to her, at least. This was not quite enough to make her trust him. But she would bear it in mind later. 

“Also,” Maul said with a grin, “did I not say that you also possessed this ideal Sith trait?” 

Ahsoka wished she had her shoes on so that she could throw one at his stupid face. 


	5. Chapter 5

Bandomeer was unusually flooded with Imperial traffic. Ahsoka walked the streets warily, aware that her recent capture might mean a bounty on her head, or posters, or something. She knew what it was to be hunted, better than most Jedi. The Trandoshan moon, her arrest on Coruscant, and the Jedi Purge. Now, her rebel work gave her that much more to run from. 

Ahsoka was brave. She didn’t run from a fight, but she knew that in her current condition, she didn’t stand a chance. Unless, that is. . . She risked a glance sideways, where Darth Maul matched her pace. His eyes were focused on the road ahead, the pinpricks of yellow darting from side to side constantly. If the former Sith were really on her side as he so claimed, Ahsoka might truly have a fighting chance. 

“What do you eat?” Maul asked, peering at the vendors. The vendors met his gaze warily, tightening their hands around their money purses. It was clear Ahsoka was not the only one who was cautious of this man. 

“Mostly meat,” she said. “Occasionally fruits. And you?” 

“I will worry about myself,” was the short reply. 

“Then why won’t you let me worry about myself?” Ahsoka wished she were taller. Perhaps that would make her more imposing. 

“Do you have Imperial credits to pay with?” Maul stopped in his tracks and stared down at her. Ahsoka looked up blankly. She blinked. He blinked too, then smirked. 

“I didn’t think so.” 

Ahsoka huffed and hurried forward. The crowd pushed around them, its density composed of various creatures. She saw humans and Nikto, Duros and Twi’leks. Predictably, she saw none of her own kind, or any of Maul’s. Mostly, it was the species that were often associated with the scum of the galaxy, and Bandomeer was a likely place to find them. With so much traffic in and out constantly, it was insanely easy for smugglers to get cargo through without passing checkpoints. The Imperial presence worried her, however. 

“Outta de way!” Someone yelled, and Ahsoka was shoved rather rudely to the ground. She closed her eyes to avoid filling them with dirt and rolled, attempting to find her footing. The crowd was too thick, however, and there was a stitch in her side suddenly. Ahsoka tried to stand, but people were forcing their way around and over her. Pain erupted in her skull as a careless boot caught the side of her head. 

Someone screamed, and Ahsoka heard the sound of ripping flesh. She couldn’t tell if the sound came from her or not. There were yells of fear and indignation and the crowd hurriedly parted away from her, clustering in the shadows and gazing on with dilated pupils. Maul stood over her prone body, glaring out at the people with green blood dripping from his hands. 

Ahsoka quickly stood, black spots swimming across her vision for a time. She stumbled, but her Zabrak companion shot a hand out to steady her. She cast him a grateful look. Maul simply nodded and looked away. With her leaning against him, they continued their trip. 

“I despise populated planets,” Maul grumbled as the walked, peering at the different types of food. “However, with so many here today, it is likely ours was not the only commotion.” 

“You’re right. If we’d been to a backwater planet, there might’ve been less weird. Then someone would know we were out of the ordinary.” Ahsoka paused to catch her breath and to point out a type of meat that was compatible with her digestive system. Staring at the red blood dripping from the hanging slices of meat, she recalled the sound she’d heard earlier. Glancing at her sleeve where Maul’s hand was, she saw the same green blood smeared on her clothes. 

“What happened back there?” She asked tentatively. 

“I believed you were in danger and responded accordingly,” Maul said. “The selfish beings of this planet care naught for the welfare of others so long as they arrive on time. The crowd would have killed you.” 

“Oh,” was all Ahsoka said. At least no one had died. She would’ve felt it. “Thank you, but I told you I won’t help you find Master Kenobi. I don’t understand why you saved me.” 

Maul gave her the tiniest hint of a smile. “I feel you may change your mind yet.” 

Ahsoka didn’t want to not smile back, but the situation felt very awkward. She felt certain her mind would not change. She believed Maul would murder her Grandmaster, and she would not stand for that. She suddenly felt the urge to grin very widely. Then, she passed out once again. 

0:0:0

“. . .therefore, I had no choice but to kill him, you see, and although he was a valuable asset, he was quite the liar. I do not value the lives of liars, and since I value my own life, I am not a liar by my judgement.” 

Ahsoka groaned and opened her eyes. She was on the cot again. Her shoes had been removed and there was a blanket over her. It was not the course grey one from before. This one was yellow and soft and could wrap around her many times. It smelled clean and reminded her of Naboo. 

Maul sat in a chair at the foot of the bed that she had not previously seen on the ship. He was rambling on and on, his head tilted to the ceiling and his eyes closed. Ahsoka didn’t know what he was saying but from the crack in his voice, he’d been talking for some time. 

She stared at him a moment longer. He seemed to sense it, for his head snapped up and his golden eyes met hers. “Hello,” Maul said. “You need to eat.” 

A small pack of rehydrated meat hit her in the stomach. She ripped the wrap ravenously and began to gnaw on the contents, her eyes never leaving Maul’s. “What happened?” She mumble through a mouthful of food. 

“I believe you sustained some minor head damage. I know nothing about your species’ anatomy, but I’ve checked you with a mini med scanner and you appear to already be on the road or recovery.” 

“Oh, that’s good. Do you have more of this food?” Ahsoka supposed that with her unfortunate rest, their shopping had not been completed. 

“I do not. I intend to leave soon, now that I am certain you shall live.” 

“How sweet of you. Get me some blueberries while you’re out, if you don’t mind.” 

Maul stood and fixed her with an appraising look. “I do not mind,” he said. “But I shall only deliver them to you if you remain in the bed.” 

Ahsoka smiled at him. It didn’t feel weird this time. Had he given her an injection? She felt odd. . . It was an unfamiliar feeling. “That seems easy enough.” 

“Good,” Maul said, backing out of the room. He flashed her an uncertain smile. “I shall return shortly.” 


	6. Chapter 6

The two travellers sat side by side in the cockpit. Tano was staring out over the nose of the ship and watching the blue maze of hyperspace fly by. Maul was watching Tano. She popped blueberries into her mouth and chewed loudly. Her knees were drawn up into her stomach and she leaned on them, despite the chair having armrests. Maul didn’t think it looked too comfortable. 

“So where are we going?” Tano asked him through a mouthful of the fruit. She looked over at him for a moment. He ceased gazing at her and snapped his attention to the glass windshield. 

“I have located an ancient Jedi temple. I believe something there will help me to find Kenobi.” He hoped, at least, for a Holocron. It was a misplaced faith; the cruxes of all Jedi knowledge were obviously not easy to come by. Maul had an ex-Jedi now, though. Surely she would help him eventually. 

“I thought that’s what you needed me for. Why keep me around if you can find Master Obi-Wan on your own?” Tano raised one of her eye markings and continued to stare at him. A shiver ran up his spine. Maul grit his teeth. 

“Honestly, Jedi, you have quite the ego. I don’t need you. I wanted your help because it would make things easier. You’ve refused, so don’t believe I’m not thinking about throwing you out the airlock. I can do this on my own!” The last words were partially a snarl. He did not know where the sudden anger had come from. 

Tano’s eyes widened. “Then why don’t you? I’m not going to help you.” The Togruta sounded so unbothered by Maul’s threats. It was infuriating. 

He took a breath and said, in the calmest voice possible, “Do not test me, Lady Tano.” 

“I’m not testing you, I just want to know why you haven’t thrown me out yet. I’m not useful to you. Tactically it makes no sense.” Tano are another handful of blueberries. “You could’ve left me on Bandomeer. I told you to.” 

Maul stood up abruptly and faced her, seething. “I do not answer to anyone! If I have kept you aboard, then I must have a reason!” 

Tano had tensed a bit when he had stood, but as the last words left his lips she leaned back and relaxed, smirking at him. “Sounds to me like you don’t even know what that reason is.” 

“Please, just be quiet,” Maul said, falling back into his chair with a sigh. Tano shrugged and continued to stare at space, devouring the fruit he’d bought for her. Truthfully, he didn’t know why she was still here. He didn’t believe she’d change her mind; she was far too resilient for that. 

But she could make a great ally, if she’d only give him a chance. Maul closed his eyes and sighed again. A headache was building in his skull. Why was he looking after the ex-Jedi? He had gained nothing as of yet. He’d tended her wounds, left her to rest, purchased her food, and kept her company, but he didn’t know why. 

“So what planet is this Temple on, huh? You know you won’t be able to get in without my help, right? Dark Side users can’t typically access Light Side relics.” Tano was no longer being quiet. She was out of fruit. 

“Did I not ask you to be quiet?” Maul snarled, but her words filled him with relief. That was right, he did need her after all, to open the Temple and any artefacts he might find. 

“You did, but I was just wondering if you realised that I’m not going to help with that.” 

And just like that, she crushed his relief. Why did she do this to him? From anyone else he would’ve expected betrayal. Why would Maul have began to trust her? He wanted to bury his head in his hands and scream. 

“Dantooine,” Maul said. “To my knowledge, there is a Temple on Dantooine. That is where we are headed.” 

“Yeah, well, you might want to find another one. There’s an old Republic outpost there. The Empire might still be using it. I don’t fancy another run-in with them.” 

“It’s a chance we’ll have to take,” Maul said. “Are you fit to fight? If not I suppose I can cover you but—“ 

“I already said I’m not helping,” Tano insisted. “I can stay with the ship.” 

“Please, Lady Tano.” 

“No, no, you said you don’t need me, or my help. I’m not sure I believe in your ability to do this alone, but it might prove interesting.” Tano smirked at him. Maul despised that expression. 

“I am perfectly capable of doing this alone,Tano, I just thought you might like to see the surviving bits of your culture.” It was an excuse, yes, but the look on her face was devastating. Maul hadn’t known that he could feel pity. It was an emotion for the weak. And yet he felt something in his chest reacting to the tragedy of Tano’s young life. 

“Petty,” Tano said, but her voice sounded thick with emotion. “I’ll come with you, alright? But don’t think I’m going to help you find Obi-Wan.” 

“Of course not,” Maul said, daring not to look at her. It was best that she feel free to express her emotions around him, for he had not doubt that she was crying, and it might give him leverage later, some emotional factor to convince her to do his bidding. Oh, he really was petty. 

“We’re fifteen minutes out, My Lady,” Maul said, glancing slightly sideways. Tano swiped at her face and looked at him. “Prepare for landing.” 


	7. Chapter 7

Maul had landed the ship in a random field on Dantooine. “We’ll have to find the Temple through the Force,” he’d told Ahsoka. And so she had. 

They were walking, now, a little under two miles away from the Temple. They couldn’t fly the ship there for fear of Imperial detection, but they both had functioning legs. Maul had glared at her when she pointed this out. 

“So how old were you when you started Sith training?” Ahsoka asked, trying to break the ice. The weather on Dantooine was fair, and a light wind blew through the yellow grass. It felt serene; the perfect place for a Jedi Temple. 

“Old enough, I suppose,” Maul answered, picking his way through the grass. 

“How old are you now?” 

“I have no idea,” he answered. 

“How can you not know how old you are?” Ahsoka asked, astonished. 

“My old master told me that the more you worry about your age, the sooner you deteriorate and become useless. I was too young to know of a lifedate when he obtained me, and he never saw fit to tell me.” 

Ahsoka frowned. “That’s really sad, Maul.”

“I cannot miss what I never had,” was the terse reply. 

“I guess you’re right,” Ahsoka said. She sighed. “Why did you leave the Sith?” 

Maul cast her a very unkind look. “I do not see why I would disclose that information.” 

“I guess it is pretty personal. I’ll tell you why I left the Jedi.” 

The Zabrak snorted. “It is hilarious that you seem to think I care.” 

It was Ahsoka’s turn to cast him an unkind look. “I’m just trying to get to know you better,” she protested. 

Maul came to a full stop. “Listen, Lady Tano. You will never know me, and I never wish to know you. Keep your mouth shut and make this more bearable for the both of us.” 

He really didn’t have to be so rude, she thought. Even so, she spent the rest of their trek in silence. 

“I think this is the last hill,” Ahsoka said after a long while. Her blood pounded with anticipation. She could hardly wait to reconnect with the Force in such a pure, untouched place. She’d never heard of a Temple on Dantooine; surely that meant it had stayed hidden? 

Maul reached the crest of the hill first, and he stopped dead. “I think perhaps you might not want to see this,” he muttered. Ahsoka sprinted up the rest of the way, looked down, and . . . Oh. 

The Temple was in ruins, and by the look of it, it had been for a while. Some walls appeared to have crumbled, others seemed to have been damaged by laser fire. No matter what had caused the damage, it was done now, and Ahsoka felt devastated. 

“This can’t be right, only Jedi can enter a Jedi Temple. We must be in the wrong place.” Ahsoka walked slowly down the hill, and Maul matched her pace. He was staring at her with a strange look on his face. 

She bent down and ran her hand across the ruined stone and durite. “I felt it. It was so strong and untouched in the Force. I don’t know how I could be this wrong.” 

“My Lady, this place is thousands of years old. Perhaps the Jedi neglected to care for it, or fell under attack? If what you say about the Force here is true, then surely it can’t all be ruined,” Maul said. Ahsoka knew now that the look that had been on his face was worry, pity, and it bothered her that she felt touched by that. 

“Perhaps we should go inside what’s left of it,” Maul suggested, “and try for a relic or two.” All of the sentiments was gone now, replaced by his misguided, selfish needs.

“You were a Sith, I bet you like seeing it this way, don’t you? Isn’t destruction your thing? Don’t you just love how the Jedi are gone and their history is being erased?” Ahsoka turned and stormed into the Temple, leaving Maul speechless in her wake. 

Inside was no better. Hardly any of the ceiling remained. An ancient form of Galactic Basic was etched on the wall in broken characters. A fine layer of dust and dirt covered the chunks of stone. There was nothing that hinted this even was a Jedi Temple. Ahsoka sat on the floor in the most central point she could find, and she felt. 

This place had indeed been something once. She inhaled. A school? For young Jedi, not quite younglings, but young all the same.It was very old, the Basic was so old she could not understand. She exhaled. 

This place had once been an academy, a long time ago. A very powerful Jedi had studied here. . . Inhale. . . There was nothing for her and Maul to find on the surface. . . Exhale. . . 

They needed to go down. She stood up and began searching for a hole, a passage or tunnel of some kind. Maul stood a ways behind her, studying the wall. 

“What did you find out?” He asked, turning around. He looked worried again. Ahsoka would not make the mistake of thinking his concern was for her. Still, she could feel his anxiety spiking in the Force around her. 

“Whatever we need to find, it will be below us.” She paused in her search and studies him. “What’s got you so upset?” 

The former Sith opened his mouth, then abruptly closed it again, frowning. “I haven’t a clue yet,” he said, and so she continued. 

Finally she found a crack between two stones, and after squeezing through it, it opened into a doorway with stairs that spiralled down. “This way,” she called, and heard Maul scramble after her. 

“Oh,” he said when he reached her. “Do you really think we ought to go down there? It feels wrong.” 

Ahsoka shot him an unimpressed look. “This was your idea, Sir Haughty. I can feel that whatever we are searching for will be down this way.” 

Maul blinked at her. “Sir Haughty?” 

“That’s you. Come on.” Ahsoka started down the stairs. 

“No, wait! Turn on your sabres or just let me go first. You must be on the offensive; we don’t know what is down there.” Maul held out his sabrestaff and activated one side. 

“Fine, you can go first,” Ahsoka said. She fell in behind the former Sith and they began to descend. 

They continued downward for quite a while, and Ahsoka could feel cool air on her face. The tunnel flattened out and opened into a large chamber. Even with both Maul’s and Ahsoka’s sabres lit, it was dark and cloying, and incredibly silent, not even the crumbling and dripping sounds often present in caves. 

Suddenly a clicking noise broke the silence. Maul shifted into a defensive stance, and Ahsoka did the same. Something malicious drew near, step by step, from all directions except the one they had come. 

A hissing sound joined the clicks, and Maul shot her a frantic look. “Laigreks,” he said. 

Oh no. This was going to get bad. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you guys might like this one. It was originally two chapters instead of one but. I put it together. I’m trying to make the chapters longer. Thanks to everyone who’s stick around so far! I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story!

Laigreks were an insectoid species of unknown origin. They stood about knee height and were treacherously dangerous, with multiple legs and claws and teeth-like mandibles that could leave a gaping wound. Maul believed he’d heard somewhere that their bites injected venom, but he wasn’t sure. Either way, he thought, this situation did not bode well for them. 

Tano slashed at the first unwise Laigrek to come her way, and it died with a horrible squealing noise, its innards hissing from the heat of her white sabre. Unfortunately for the Togruta, ten more insects rushed at her, claws reaching out maliciously. She quickly dropped into a more defensive stance, activating her other sword and swiping frantically. Maul wishes he had more time to admire her, the way that even in a hurry, she could kill with such accuracy. 

He had his own problems, though. A Laigrek swarm managed to close in on him. The cramped space near the door made it difficult for him to use his sabrestaff correctly. Maul threw his hands in front of him and grit his teeth, pushing. The wave of Laigreks flew backwards, smashing into a wall that sounded some meters away. 

“Hey, if we die here, it’s your fault,” Tano grunted, dispatching three of the insects as they attempted to climb and bite her. “I didn’t even want to come here.” 

“On the contrary, Lady Tano,” Maul said, as another wave of Laigreks rushed him, “we are in a Jedi facility. You were once a Jedi, so this is your responsibility.” Slash right at one insect, spin the staff to decapitate two more, kick another in the face. That was twelve down by his hand. But they continued coming in the same way, wave after wave. 

“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Tano laughed. Maul didn’t see where she saw the humour in their situation, but he appreciated it the most about her character. Nineteen down, and an infinite number to come. How many were down here?

“Can you manage some sort of Light Side mind control?” Maul asked, pushing the circle of Laigreks back. One hissed at him and lunged forward, clamping its serrated mandibles on his leg and biting down. The Zabrak’s cybernetic prosthetic did not fail him. It did not give when the creature bit it, and he killed the insect easily. 

“Not on this many. Let’s thin the crowd, then I’ll give it a go,” Tano replied. Maul snatched a glance at her, and Force, she was the most terrifying sight he’d ever seen. The white sabres looked ghostly and mystic, and she handled them both with deadly accuracy. The former Sith sucked in a breath; no, he appreciated this the most, a strong and fearless warrior whom he could fight beside rather than against. 

And so they continued the fight, killing one after another of the Laigreks. Maul had drilled for years with his sabrestaff, and had developed strong muscles and impressive stamina, yet he felt himself growing weary of the fight, easy as it was for someone of his caliber. A glance at his Togrutan comrade confirmed that Tano was also tiring, and blood was running down her face, along with sweat and the guts of the Laigreks she’d killed. She was moving oddly, as though something inside her was causing pain. 

Her injuries from the Empire. Tano— no, Ahsoka— was still badly injured. Maul should’ve known better than to let her come down here; he’d sensed something evil and he should’ve forced her to stay up top. 

He knew he wouldn’t have managed it though. Ahsoka was very stubborn. She did not take orders from him. 

“Lady Tano, we’ve been at this for a while,” Maul panted, “and there seem to be no less of them than when we began. We must leave!”

“No! There’s something down here that we are meant to find! I’m not leaving without it!” Ahsoka said, and she continued to fight with a renewed vigour. Maul took a sharp breath through his teeth and resumed his own battle, trying to keep one eye on her and one eye on his own fight. Surely they would come through this, after all, there couldn’t be many Laigreks left.

Then Ahsoka yelled. The insects had overrun her and one of the monsters had sank its jagged mandibles into her abdomen. Fresh blood flowed from her new injuries, and although she tried to swipe the Laigrek away, it held fast. Another monster leaped onto her arm and bit her. Maul shoved his own adversaries away and dashed to her rescue. Ahsoka could have held her own had she not been previously injured. He truly was foolish, endangering his only ally. 

Ahsoka fell beneath the Laigreks. Maul ran faster and skipped to a halt beside her, heart pounding. 

Carefully yet hastily Maul sliced the two insects that were attached to his comrade away, then he gathered all the spite he could muster and lashed out. He felt for something vulnerable, closed his eyes, wrinkled his nose, and twisted as savagely as he could. The innermost circle of monsters around them had their heads forcibly and violently ripped away, scattering insect blood and guts across the stone floor. He then snatched up Ahsoka and quickly ran back the way they had come. 

Half of the way, Maul could hear the Laigreks in close pursuit, but as the air slowly grew fresher and light slowly filtered into the stairwell, their hisses and shrieks died away into nothing. Maul had never been thankful for his cybernetics before, but he realised now that they allowed him to run quickly and without tiring, and without that skill he likely would’ve perished. 

Finally he made it to the cracked rock that led back into the plundered Temple. Carefully, he stepped through it backwards as to not brush Ahsoka against the stone. She gave a hiss of pain at the change of position. Maul pulled himself the rest of the way through and laid the ex-Jedi gently on the ground. 

In the daylight, the damage to his companion was much more severe. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth and soaked the fabric around her stomach. Her right arm was mangled and bright red flesh was exposed, leaking fluid onto the ground. Ahsoka watched his eyes carefully as he surveyed the damage. 

Maul removed his shirt and ripped it into pieces, tying them tightly above her arm to prevent more blood loss. He did not know what to do about the stomach wound except to staunch the bleeding with more fabric, and so he padded the remains of the garment on the wound and secured it with his sash. Ahsoka hissed in pain and Maul looked down at her. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get though them,” she muttered. “I’m sorry we couldn’t find your relic.” 

“Cease your apologies; they are meaningless to me. I am concerned for your health now, Lady Tano, and not my personal mission.” Maul knew she wouldn’t make the trek back to the ship, and besides, the medical supplies onboard were likely not enough to deal with injuries of this magnitude. He would have to find a settlement. 

Edging ever so slightly away from Ahsoka, Maul began to reach out through the Force. It was difficult to find anything without his usual malicious intent. What he needed now was no target to be eliminated. He was not searching for someone to kill, he was searching so that someone might live. 

At last he found something. Pinpricks of what felt like intelligent life, only a short ways away. If Maul were to be hasty, they would arrive before sundown. He opened his eyes and gazed down at Ahsoka. 

“Can I lift you again?” He asked her gently, unsure of why his voice knew the right tone to administer. Ahsoka’s eyes were wide and her mouth opened and closed, yet no sound emerged. 

“I shall have to do it, Lady Tano, for your own good. Do not resist me.” And he picked her up again. To his disappointment, she did not attempt to get away from him. His Togrutan ally was quite possibly going into shock. 

Maul began the journey to the distant settlement, stepping carefully as to not rock the ex-Jedi in his arms. Holding her so close felt strange, especially with her blood still leaking from her wounds onto his bare skin. She was so weak and vulnerable, more so than he’d ever seen her, and that she allowed him to care for her felt strangely intimate. He pushed his thoughts away and continued the hike. 

“Talk to me, Lady Tano. Tell me why you left the Jedi. Tell me anything,” Maul said, casting her a brief but worried look. 

Ahsoka coughed. “You said you didn’t care,” she said, and Maul was relieved to hear her voice. She would survive. He would not allow her to die. 

“Oh, but I do. I do care, very much. Please tell me.” He could only hope that he sounded as sincere as he felt. 

“The Jedi turned on me,” Ahsoka said slowly, watching him. He hated how scrunched he was being forced to hold her, but truthfully saw no other option to carry her comfortably. “They didn’t believe in me when I most needed them to.” 

“That must have hurt you badly. I understand why you left.” 

Ahsoka nodded. “My Master was the only one who believed in me during that time. He stood up for me.” 

Maul felt a pang of sadness engulf Ahsoka, but also a spark of a bittersweet feeling that he did not recognise. “Tell me more about your Master,” he said. “I wish to know who trained such a great warrior.” 

“Oh,” Ahsoka said, and she began to smile. Her eyes fluttered closed. “Anakin was always there for me. He seemed to always know just how I was feeling. He was. . .” 

“He was. . .?” Maul prompted. 

Ahsoka opened her eyes again. “He was so impulsive. It worried Master Kenobi, but Anakin was always acting in the best interests of those closest to him. He loved so deeply, probably more than a Jedi should have.” 

Maul remembered when he had tried so vainly to warn Ahsoka of what her Master would do. He saw now why she hadn’t believed him. He saw now why his Master had needed Skywalker so badly. Did Ahsoka know now what her beloved Master had become? Maul hadn’t the heart to tell her, not right now when she was so vulnerable. 

Their conversations grew shorter and shorted. Maul found eventually that nothing he could say would rouse Ahsoka. He was losing her. 

With the knowledge that she may not last if he didn’t hurry, Maul decided to sprint the rest of the way. It was jarring for her, he knew, and she grunted softly in pain occasionally, but he would not let her die. He could not allow himself to lose another person. And so he ran, and after a while, he saw lights in the growing darkness. 

Mail kicked in the door of the first house he came upon, glaring around angrily. A green Twi’lek woman sat at a table, eating soup with a child, and they looked at him with alarm. 

“Fix this woman, now,” Maul said, laying Ahsoka down gently on a nearby sofa. He lit his sabrestaff and loomed over the Twi’lek woman threateningly. “Or I will kill you both.” 

The Twi’lek whispered something to her child hurriedly, and the child darted out the door. She stood and stared at Ahsoka. “Are you raiders?” 

“Raiders?” 

“The ruins. Sometimes people come to pillage whatever is left, but they never come back.” The woman shrugged. “Until you, I guess, and look at the condition she’s in.” 

Maul growled. “Had she not been suffering from previous injuries we would have destroyed those monsters.” 

“Sure, honey, sure,” the woman said. She turned away from him and prepared another bowl of soup. “I sent my son for the doctor. You must be hungry, so eat. And you can put that thing away.” She gestured at his sabre. 

“I will not take your sustenance, woman, and I shall not lower my weapon until my friend has been seen to.” 

A human man rushed inside, looking flustered, with the little Twi’lek boy at his side. “Oh dear,” he said when he saw the light sabre. “Oh dear,” he said again when he saw Ahsoka. 

“Care for her at once, or I will remove your hands from the rest of your body,” Maul hissed. He despised the fact that medicine was not something he was practiced in. He hated relying on others for services he could learn to perform. 

“There’s no need for that,” the man said, bending down and cutting away the fabric around Ahsoka’s wounds. He sprayed the wounds with something, wiped them down with something else, and began to sew clear string through the flesh of her stomach, putting her back together. The man frowned when he saw her arm, though. 

“I’m not sure if this arm will keep,” he said, “the blood flow was cut off for quite a while, and it’s already infected.” 

“Just do what you can,” Maul said, waving his sabre slightly as a reminder. 

“Yeah, yeah,” the man said. He tied a quick, secure knot in the thread and continued his work. Maul shifted on his metal feet anxiously. This was taking far too long. 

“All done,” the man said at last. He stood and left Ahsoka on the floor. The stitches and bandages did not lessen the devastating look of the wet blood all around her. Maul glared at the doctor. 

“When will she wake up?” 

“I’ve got no idea, son. Her wounds are pretty bad. Just inject her with painkillers every two hours and she’ll heal up alright.” 

“Give me the painkillers. Give me all that you have,” Maul snarled, levelling the lightsaber with the doctor’s throat. “Or I will remove your head and you will be of no use to anyone.” 

“Fine, fine,” the man said coldly, but his face was white now. He handed over his bag of medical supplies. Maul snatched it away from him. 

“Now,” Maul said, “give me a landspeeder.” 

“You can take mine! It’s parked out back, here are the keys!” The Twi’lek woman shouted quickly, and tossed him the said item. “Please, just go.” 

Maul took the keys and the medical bag and placed them in his pocket and over his shoulder, respectively. Then he lifted Ahsoka carefully from the floor and made his way outside. 

The journey back to his ship was nothing with the speeder. He decided to keep it and drove it into the cargo bay. Then Maul carried Ahsoka to the cot she’d occupied so often for the last week. He injected her with a painkiller and washed away the now drying blood with a rag soaked in alcohol. 

After disposing of the red-tinted cloth, Maul wrapped the small Togruta up in the soft yellow blanket he’d bought for her. He resumed his earlier position at the foot of the cot, sitting down again. 

“Please, Ahsoka,” he said, and her name felt strange on his tongue, “wake up soon. “


	9. Chapter 9

Ahsoka Tano slept, and though she was in great pain, the universe in her mind was so peaceful that she did not feel a thing. She knew herself to be injured, yet as her conscious floated in a starry void, she could not bring herself to be concerned.

Images of all she had seen before, all who she had known, and glimpses of things she knew had not yet come to pass circled about her. Her heart throbbed with emotion when she saw her great master, loyal and opposing as ever, giving her that assuring, cocky grin that she’d missed so much. A dark slice of something slashed through his image, and as she watched in petrified horror, his grin changed into the dangerous look that he had never pointed in her direction. Then Anakin was gone, and although Ahsoka could still feel him, she knew he was dead to her.

Here was her other master, stubborn and witty, never one to run from a fight. He looked exactly as he had the last time she’d seen him, then it flickered and Ahsoka could feel he was a much different man. “Do not seek me out, Ahsoka, please,” he said, meeting her gaze, and he too vanished.

Far from her there was her loyal Captain, her brother and her best friend. He, like Anakin, was lost to her once again, but the memories he’d left her with brought her enough joy to leave him be. He was quite finished being someone else’s pawn, and deserved a very long rest, at least until he could march on to be with his fallen brethren.

Ahsoka Tano breathed, clearing away the confusing sights and emotions that encircled her. She would not be able to wake, not yet. Her companion would have to wait, and she knew she must trust him to lead them both in the right direction. Her cerebral universe went dark, and she began to heal.

0:0:0:0

Maul did not know how long it had been since he slept last, several days, perhaps. Decidedly not since dearest Lady Tano had blessed him with her company. He’d taken a few short rests, but they were not enough to keep him from drifting off now. His eyes closed, and he sat, listening in the Force for any signs of Ahsoka’s revival. She had spent much of their time together asleep, ailing from one thing or another. Her wounds now were a direct product of his own selfishness. It did not bother the former Sith, or so he told himself. She was too strong to die from something like this.

Still, that single thread of guilt invaded his mind. Entering the Temple did not do anything for Ahsoka. She had done it for him, he was sure of it. He had not cared for her, throwing her blindly into harm’s way, just like he had with Savage. It was his fault. Ahsoka might’ve died for his actions, and it would not have bothered him in the slightest.

It had been one rotation exactly since he had brought her back to his ship. The stars shone in the sky once more, and as Maul gazed up at them, he thought they did not look warm and mystical, but cold and distant. Not the angels watching over the lands, protecting, but beings too far away from him to care for his struggles. He snarls.

Ahsoka had confirmed Kenobi was alive. The news struck Maul very oddly. He did not want to see Kenobi again. He knew he must, if his plan were to succeed, yet he felt a trickle down his spine at the thought of facing him without Ahsoka. He did not expected Kenobi to listen. Kenobi never listened to him, but he would listen to another former Jedi.

Surely that was not fear he felt? Surely he had become stronger than this? He put his head in his hands and groaned, confused. Hastily, he pushed those thoughts away.

He only needed the location of his adversary now, and then he would have all that he needed to take down his old master.

Although. . . Maul was not sure how long Ahsoka would last on only painkillers. He knew of the Jedi healing trance, but the Togrutan had left the Order while she’d still been in training. She might never have learned to do anything like that. She needed a physician to cure her, and that would cost him greatly.

It was no matter. He did not mind looking after her. It would pay off in the end, and if it did not, he would have an ex-Jedi who owed him a favor.

0:0:0:0

Narr Shaddaa was the ideal place to go. His crime empire was still strong in this sector and Maul would be able to extract funds and perhaps find a practicing doctor or someone who knew medicine. Maul knew better than to give Ahsoka more painkillers, and that was the only medication he had.

This planet was disgusting. It had been too long since Maul’s last visit, and the lowlives who infested the streets might not recognize him. He did not trust them not to steal his ship. It was only a means of transportation, but Ahsoka remained onboard and he had grown quite fond of it. Opting instead to stand near it and wait for one of his associates to show their faces, Maul leaned in the doorway of the ship’s cargo bay, scanning the thin crowd for anyone he might could wave over.

He did not have to wait long. Quickly enough, a Devaronian Maul slightly recognized rushed forward. “How can we help, My Lord?” the creature asked, meeting Maul’s eyes and quickly and fearfully looked away.

“I require extensive funds and a reliable contact for medical assistance. You do not have much time. If you value your life, you will be hasty.”

The Devaronian visibly shuddered. These creatures supposedly had a reputation for being tough and resilient, and yet Maul saw none of these traits in the boy before him.

“Right away, My Lord,” came his reply, and then he began his wait.

Less than an hour had passed when the boy was before him again, flanked by two pike-bearing Nikto and followed by a wiry human female. Both the boy and the human carried large packages. Maul narrowed his eyes.

“Sir, I have gotten you money and a practicing surgeon. Might I be dismissed?”

“Not until the surgeon has done her job,” Maul said, waving the human woman into the ship. “You will remain here with me while she finishes up.”

The Devaronian did not look too thrilled with this establishment, yet he was too sensible, or perhaps too scare to protest. Maul gave hushed instructions to the physician, and then he, the Nikto and the boy waited outside.

The doctor on Dantooine must’ve been worth something after all, because it did not take the woman long to finish with Maul’s companion. She gave him a bottle of painkillers, duller than the ones he currently had, and then she and her colleagues departed. Maul stared after them but for a moment, then rushed inside to Ahsoka.

“Lady Tano?” he asked, stepping quietly lest she was sleeping. “Are you alright?” 

There was no response from the former Jedi. She did, however, look more peaceful than she had before. Maul saw the yellow blanket on the floor and draped it over her, tucking it in some places to preserve her body temperature, ever mindful of her wounds.

“I wish you would wake. You know how I need you. You must get better quickly.” He straightened and watched her, the faintest of smiles beginning at the corner of his mouth. He admired her more ferocious side, yes, but seeing her this way, sleeping and peaceful (even if it were because of injury), he could not help but adore her all the more.

Maul realized the nature of his feelings. He grimaced and hurriedly left the room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maul be simping


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever, and i apologize lol

It was dark when Ahsoka woke, and she was still in pain, though it was less severe now than the few snatched moments of consciousness she had the previous night. The air smelled strange and Ahsoka got the feeling she was in an unfamiliar place. Yet nearby she sensed Maul’s presence. She desperately hoped her trust in him was not misplaced, for she was in no condition to fight right now. 

Ahsoka’s stomach rumbled. Time did pass while one was unconscious, and she recalled the last thing she had eaten: a pitiful number of blueberries. She reached out with the Force, trying to get Maul’s attention. It was more difficult than usual. It seemed as though he was blocking her out. That caused a strange feeling to course through her. Disappointment? Betrayal? It wasn’t something she had felt before. It seemed highly unlikely that Maul would betray her, so she did not know why she felt this way. Still, she was hungry, and since he was blocking her out, she would have to find another way to get his attention. 

Her throat was dry, but Ahsoka managed to speak, slowly saying “Hey” and letting her voice grow louder. Eventually, she was able to yell Maul’s name. 

It only took a moment after her cry before the former Sith stormed into the room, casting a horned shadow across the floor. “You summoned me, My Lady,” Maul said, glaring down at her. 

“I’m hungry,” Ahsoka said bluntly, “And really thirsty. I tried to call you, but you were closed off.”

“None of your business,” Maul snapped. 

“I didn’t even ask!” Ahsoka said. 

“Oh,” Maul said. He continued to glare at her. Ahsoka stared back at him, confused. He wrinkled his nose and turned away. “I’ll go and get the water.”

“And something to eat!” Ahsoka called after him. The door slid shut. 

It took a moment for Maul to return. Ahsoka tried to wait patiently, but she was hungry and exhausted and did not know how long she would be able to stay awake. Finally, the Zabrak re-entered the room with a tray of sliced meat and a cup. He passed it to her wordlessly, then made to leave the room.

“Wait,” Ahsoka said, taking a long sip of the water he had given her. “Stay with me.”

Maul grimaced, glancing at the door. “Allow me to set the hyperspace coordinates, and then I will return to you.”

“Thank you,” Ahsoka said, beginning to eat. The meat was soft and tasteful, and she savored every bite. The ship’s engine whirred and the ship lurched. She presumed they were entering hyperspace. She found she did not care where the former Sith was taking her. Ahsoka supposed he had taken care of her, even when she was of no use to him. That warranted quite a bit of trust. Halfway through the last strip of meat, Maul returned. 

“How are you feeling?” Maul asked, taking his usual place in the chair at the foot of the cot. He looked most uncomfortable. 

“Better now that I’ve eaten, thanks,” Ahsoka said. “And how are you feeling?”

Maul ignored her. “You were gravely injured. I believed you might die.” 

“I didn’t, unfortunately for you. I guess you’ll have to kill me yourself.” 

“What?” Maul asked, looking bewildered. 

“You said that I was of no use to you. You said you might throw me out the airlock.” Ahsoka set the tray aside and crossed her arms.

“Ah. I suppose I did say that, didn’t I?” Maul did not look at her. 

“Yeah,” Ahsoka said. “But then you turned around and saved my life. I don’t know you very well, but I know that you would not have kept me alive unless you really did need me. So, tell me what you want.”

Maul did not respond right away. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. Ahsoka was beginning to notice that the former Sith did a lot of sighing. Finally, he said, “I want to destroy the Emperor and put an end to the Sith.” 

That had not been what she was expecting, but Ahsoka felt his words to be true. The man before her had not lied to her, not once, and there seemed to be nothing he could gain from fooling her. He may have closed himself away from her, but she found she trusted him. 

“All right,” Ahsoka said. “Me too. I will help; I owe you that much. What can I do?”

Maul looked up. “Help me find Kenobi. We need his help, and the help of any who sympathize. I hate that I cannot do it alone, but I have grown, Lady Tano. I will not harm Kenobi. I will not harm you. I truly do need your help.” 

He looked and felt so desperate. She sensed nothing but honesty. 

“I believe we can do this together. Sidious is an immensely powerful foe, but he would never expect defiance from me. He would never expect to find you by my side. Or Kenobi, for that matter. Will you help me find him?” Maul extended a hand and met her eyes warily. 

Ahsoka stared at Maul. He had been blocking her out before, but now his emotions bled through, and she could feel his fear of rejection. She thought back to Mandalore, when he had offered himself and all that he knew; the way he had looked so relieved when she’d said she would help him, and then the crushing defeat she’d sensed when she cast his words aside. For all his brashness, Maul was afraid those events would happen yet again.

She would have to trust him. They had gotten this far with each other. She supposed it was time to go a little farther.

“I will help you find Obi-Wan, and I will help you fight the Emperor.” The Togruta sat up and placed her hand in his. Maul exhaled deeply, gazing into her eyes. Ahsoka took her other hand and patted his arm. 

“Thank you, Lady Tano. I do hope you won’t regret this.” 

Ahsoka smiled. “I do too,” she said. Maul looked away and Ahsoka let go of his hand, sitting back. Her injured arm made her hiss with pain. Maul frowned.

“What happened to you on Dantooine was my fault entirely, and I do hope you heal quickly. That shall never happen again.” 

It was now Ahsoka’s turn to frown. “I did what I had to do, Maul, and you never could have stopped me from following you in that room. I still think we were called there. After I am healed, we should go back.”

Maul nodded his head. “Yes! And we can teach the Laigreks a lesson they won’t soon forget!”

“No, Maul, I think entering violently is what got us attacked last time. We will not kill them when we go again, not unless there is no other way,” Ahsoka said sternly. Maul shook his head and laughed quietly.

“Very well, My Lady, we shall do it your way. Are you certain we must go back? Will you need the relic to find Kenobi?”

Ahsoka paused. “While I was asleep, I dreamt of my old friends and of my Master. I sensed Obi-Wan, but it seemed as if he did not want to be found. I very well might need the relic, if there is one to be found on Dantooine.”

“I understand,” Maul said. “We will find a relic, then. Is there anything else you require?” 

Ahsoka thought for a moment. She glanced at the foot of the bed, at the soft yellow blanket that she had no doubt Maul had gotten for her and pulled it around her with her good arm. It was warm. It smelled like old memories from a better time. “More blueberries,” she said at last. “Please, if we have any.”

Maul nodded. “I will leave you to rest,” he said, and ducked out of the room. 

Ahsoka buried her nose in the blanket’s soft fibers. It was such a trivial thing. It reminded her of something Anakin would have wasted his credits on when they were shopping for supplies. Anakin had loved to give things to her, to Padmé. Her eyes welled up with tears. It had been too long since she had allowed herself to be sad about him. She was no longer a Jedi, she could feel again, to whatever capacity she desired.

And so, Ahsoka cried for her lost Master, for that was surely what he was. She had meditated, she had dreamed. She could feel that he wasn’t dead, but his presence was so clouded and twisted that she did not know who he was, where he was. He, like Padmé, Plo, and Barriss, was lost to her. 

The former Jedi Padawan wanted nothing more than to reach out and find him, his remains, anything to provide closure, but Ahsoka sensed danger. She sensed terrible anger and knew she must not, no matter how great the temptation. 

The words Maul had spoken years ago came back to her, about Anakin and the Emperor and the plot to destroy the Republic. Could it have been true? Could Anakin really have done something so horrible? 

Ahsoka did the only thing she knew to do in her injured condition. She decided to ask the Force and trust in what it showed her.


	11. Chapter 11

Darth Vader had sensed agony.

It was a familiar cry of pain. It reminded him of simpler times. Whenever he would feel her cry, Anakin would run to her rescue. Ahsoka had always been brave, but Anakin had always longed to protect her from all the wrong he sensed. Anakin had hated when Ahsoka felt that way.

Darth Vader took a breath. He closed his eyes and tried his hardest not to care. He had felt her reach out; he had recovered from the initial shock of her survival hours ago. But the part of him that would not forget Anakin, that part of him that still clung to what was, felt that familiar urge to protect his student.

He was still weak. Ahsoka was his enemy now, and he could not sympathize with her for any reason.

Vader had told the Emperor of Ahsoka Tano’s survival. The Emperor had ordered her death. Vader knew why his master insisted on her demise. Vader was still weak, and his master knew it. Ahsoka could destroy him.

0.0.0.0

Ahsoka felt sick when she awoke and realized that it was the fact that she had constantly neglected to eat. She attempted to push herself up and was shocked to find her muscles responsive to her commands. As she swung her legs off the cot, her joints seized up. Ahsoka crumpled to the floor.

“Maul!” she yelled, almost immediately. There was a crash from somewhere else in the ship, and a few moments later, her Zabrak companion stumbled into the dark room. The corners of his mouth curled into a smirk when he saw her on the floor.

“Really, Lady Tano, I’d have thought you had more sense than to try something like that,” the former Sith snorted. Ahsoka glared at him.

“Please just help me up,” she said.

Maul obliged, with much complaining about how much of a burden she was, but she sensed humor rolling from him in waves and knew he did not mean a word of it.

“So,” Maul said, when he had gotten her settled comfortably on the cot, “You should only need to rest for a few more days. In that time, I shall direct our ship to Dantooine, and we shall retrieve our relic through nonviolent manipulation of its unnecessarily ferocious guardians.”

“Lovely,” Ahsoka replied. She held her injured arm against her body and carefully wriggled further under the blanket, wincing as the wound on her torso stung. Maul made a disapproving sound and looked down at her.

“Lady Tano,” he began cautiously. “I believe I need to change those bandages.”

“If you’ll give me the things, I can do it,” Ahsoka said, and even as she said it, she knew she would have a difficult time of it.

“No offense, Ahsoka,” Maul said, and they both looked shocked when he uttered her name. The former Sith pointedly cleared his throat and looked away. “Lady Tano, I mean no offense, but I fear you may not be able to do this on your own. Will you permit me to help?”

Ahsoka wanted to protest. She was fond of being (or at least acting) independent, but she knew she was hurt, and she was reluctant to admit it, but she was beginning to trust Maul. He needed her alive if she were to help him fight the Emperor.

“Very well,” she finally said, trying to seem defeated. Maul took one look at her and snorted; he obviously could tell that she was all too willing to accept his help. She smirked at him as he left the small cabin to go and retrieve the medical supplies.

Then she felt it – a evil mind prodding her consciousness, much angrier than Maul’s had ever been. Ahsoka gasped as it broke in behind her thoughts, searching through her mind. She braced herself and attempted to shield her mind, but whatever ailed her was too strong. It smashed through her defenses.

_Ahsoka,_ it said.

That was when the presence felt familiar, and Ahsoka knew why she hadn’t felt Anakin’s death.

She screamed.

0.0.0.0

Maul had not been gone for a complete minute when he heard Ahsoka howl in agony. Snatching up the first aid kit and spinning around, Maul ran towards her cabin and beheld the writhing Togruta on the cot before him.

“Ahso – Lady Tano?” He asked, bending beside the cot in order to gauge her health. She gave a few short, painful gasps as he shook her, and her blue eyes met his gaze.

“My master,” she breathed. “I can’t get him out.”

Maul understood. Her former master, now his former master’s apprentice, was in Ahsoka’s head. Not knowing what else to do, he places his hands on either side of the Togruta’s head, attempting to force his way into her mind. To his surprise, his effort was entirely unnecessary. Ahsoka simply let him in.

At once he felt the horrible wrath of the Sith apprentice, and he saw what had drawn his master to this man. Maul found Ahsoka and wrenched her away from her fight. _Together,_ he said, and he felt her compliance. They took a breath and focused. Maul envisioned many sharp daggers severing the Sith’s connection to Ahsoka. He felt the Sith strengthen his hold on the former Jedi, and he felt Ahsoka rebel.

Maul tried again to flush the dark force from his companion’s mind, and he could feel her efforts alongside him. He thought of the daggers again, and Ahsoka added her force to them. The joined hands and pushed against the Sith.

Finally, they could feel his presence receding. Maul and Ahsoka held firm, not giving the Sith anything more to grasp onto, and he finally retreated.

_Ahsoka, I will find you,_ it said, and then it was gone.

Maul’s head swam for a moment, and then he found himself on the floor beside Ahsoka’s cot. He sat up, and he felt a wave of exhaustion crash through his head. Above him, Ahsoka stirred, and as soon as he could tell she had returned to her body, Maul grabbed her hand. She gripped him back and met his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said, as tears began to roll down her face. “I was thinking of him. I could tell he wasn’t gone.”

“That was your master,” Maul said, and Ahsoka’s grip tightened as she began to sob.

Maul looked up at her worriedly, not knowing how to care for a person who was in such a state. She had loved her master, and perhaps she still did. It must hurt to see the way he had changed. Maul thought back to the times he had felt sadness on behalf of losing someone, and he squeezed her hand.

“It will be okay, Lady Tano,” he said, and she looked at him through her tears. “Don’t think of him as he is now, think of him as he was when you knew him best. Think of that caring master and friend that you spoke so highly of.”

Ahsoka nodded, closing her eyes. His words had brought a slight smile to her face, although she was still crying.

“Now,” Maul said, “Lay him to rest. Let that be the way you remember him from now on. Your friend, your master, your brother. Always there, wasn’t he? You said he would do anything to keep you safe. That was Anakin Skywalker.”

A sob came from Ahsoka, but he could now see that she was allowing herself to grieve properly for her master. She was accepting that he was gone.

Maul dropped her hand and sat on the cot at her feet. “That monster that we fought off was not your master. He was a Sith, and your Anakin Skywalker would not hurt you in that way.”

“You’re right,” Ahsoka said. “He wouldn’t.”

“That was one of my master’s creations. It was evil.”

“It was,” Ahsoka agreed.

“When we find Kenobi and kill the Emperor, we shall kill that monster as well.”

Maul sensed Ahsoka’s anger right before she kicked him in the stomach. “Go away, Maul,” she said. “Set a course for Dantooine.”

Confused, Maul said, “Lady Tano, I have yet to change your bandages.”

Ahsoka would not look at him. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I won’t need them. Now go.”

“If you think I will just sit here and watch your flesh rot due to your own ignorance, you are sorely mistaken.” Maul took the bag of supplies from the floor and reached for the blanket.

“Fine,” Ahsoka said, “but at least set our course first.”

And so, with a sigh of defeat, Maul left.


End file.
